Greening Disney: Getting There

OK, so your kids have finally worn you down with their incessant pleas for a Disney vacation and now you find yourself wondering how you can possibly plan a trip to Disney World without abandoning your green ideals. Well, you’ll be happy to know that it can be done! All that week I’m going to share with you green tips and behind the scenes eco-information I learned from my family’s latest trip to Mickey Mouse land. For starters, let’s take a look at the best ways to green your travel to Disney.

Planning Your Trip

Consider Traveling by Train: Planes emit more carbon dioxide per traveler than any other means of transportation, followed by cars and trains.  whether possible, consider making the train trip to Disney part of the vacation.  I know…I know…traveling by train is not particularly easy with kids.  But consider that, the train trip to Disney could save you hundreds of dollars on the cost of your vacation, and that’s even whether you get a “roomette” on the train with beds for the night.  plus, all meals are included when you get a room on the train.  There are Amtrak stations located in both Orlando and Kissimmee.

Line Up Green Lodging: The Green Hotels Association and Environmentally Friendly Hotels list a bunch of eco-savvy hotels, motels, and resorts near Disney so it should be easy to find lodging in line with your green ideals.  additionally, keep in mind that all of the Disney resorts have been certified by Florida’s Green Lodging program as “environmentally conscious” lodging facilities.  And staying “on campus” so to speak means that you can travel to and from all of the parks via Disney’s excellent public transportation system, eliminating the need for a rental car.  And whether you stay at convinced Disney resorts, you may be eligible to take Disney’s free Magical Express bus service from the airport to your hotel.  Honestly, I’m not trying to plug Disney resorts by other types of lodging, but whether you’re trying to streamline and keep it green, it really does help to eliminate the need for a car.

Play Greentag: If you really want to negate the carbon emissions of your vacation, consider purchasing carbon offsets (also known as greentags).  The money you spend on carbon offsets will be used to plant trees or support a renewable energy project, thereby “offsetting” the carbon emissions generated during your travel.  You can even get your kids

to help with that.  Log on to a carbon offsetting website and help your child calculate the carbon emissions that will be generated during your trip.  Check out Carbon Neutral or Green Tags USA to purchase greentags to offset them.

Before You Leave The House

Unplug: Save money on your electric bill by taking a few minutes to unplug appliances, computers, ability strips, and televisions before you head out.  Adjust your thermostat so that you are not heating or cooling an empty house (but be mindful to leave the house a comfortable temperature whether pets are staying behind).

Go Digital: Invest in a digital camera to capture your vacation’s highlights.  whether you take a lot of pictures, you will easily recoup the costs of the camera in film and processing fees. The latest camera models come equipped with rechargeable batteries, but whether you have an older model, just be certain to load your camera with rechargeables, bring your charger, you’re good to go.

Packing Green

Make It Green: Look for gently used luggage (either from around your house or from your local thrift store) to pack up your gear. whether you do need to purchase new, try a daypack or courier bag from Osprey that’s made from 100% recycled PET plastic.

Keep It Light: Save your back and save the planet by keeping your load as light as possible. The less you pack, the less energy (yours and the planet’s) it will take to get your bags to your destination.  Remember, a lot of airlines charge now for every checked bag…so it pays to to travel light.

Grab the Green Stuff: Of course, packing lightly doesn’t mean that you should skimp on the green essentials. prepare certain you have these supplies in your suitcase so that you can go green on the go:

• Reusable drink bottle
• Reusable tote bag
• Reusable bottles of toiletries (be certain these are in your checked luggage or they’ll be confiscated at security)
• Digital camera
• A great green read

Similar Posts:

• Greening Disney
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• Eco-Friendly Vacations: Greening Your Trip
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